Benjamin scables



(No Model.) I

B. SOARLES.

WIRE FENCE.

Patented Jan. 4,1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE.

BENJAMIN SOARLES, 0E CLINTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLINTON WIRE CLOTH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,560, dated January 4-, 1887.

Application filed July 2, 1884. Serial No. 136,638. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN SCARLES, of

Clinton, in the county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wire Fences, of which the followingis a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact toenable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisjspecification, in which Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view representing my improved fencein position for use; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the stretcher shown in Fig. 2 detached from the post; Fig. 2, a perspective view, showing the method of using the stretcher.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawngs.

My invention relates more especially to means for supporting and straining the wires of which the fence is composed; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, by which a more effective device for this purpose-is produced than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation, its extreme simplicity rendering an elaborate description unnecessary.

In the drawings, A B O D represent the posts, and E the wires, of the fence. The wires are strung horizontally in parallelism with 7 each other in the usual manner, being supported on the posts A O D by means of ordinary wire staples or loops, or, and on the post B by the stretcher H. The stretcher H con sists of a stout screw, which comprises a plain cylindrical body, d, a screw-threaded cylindrical portion, 2:, and an angular head, h. A

longitudinal slot, m, extends through the angular head it to a point in the unthreaded cylindrical portion d, between said head andscrewthreaded portion. The head his solid, with the exception of the said plain straight slot m, which extends longitudinally through it, and it is therefore sufficiently strong to resist the strain which is put upon it when a wrench is applied thereto for stretching or straightening the fence-wires. In useit is screwed into the post B and its slot m'arranged horizontally. The wire E is then inserted in the slot, as shown by the dotted lines at the bottom of Fig. 2, after which the stretcher is turned by means of a wrench, or any other suitable implement for that purpose, until its slot is brought into a vertical position. as shown at the top of Fig. 2, or until sufficient strain is exerted on the wire to draw it taut.

The threads z are preferably coarse, and have a sharp pitch, so that when the stretcher is turned in to produce a strain on the wire it will enter the wood rapidly, thereby increasing the friction in ,direct ratio to the strain, and preventing it from turning back or becoming loose.

It will be understood that as many of the posts 13 provided with stretchers are to be employed in the fence as may be. requisite, it being deemed unnecessary .to show more than one in order to illustrate the improvement.

The wires may pass loosely through the staples x, or be firmly secured to the posts at either side of the post which carries the stretchers, as desired, it being necessary, of course, to anchor the wires at proper distances in order to stretch them as described.

The stretcher is formed of cast-iron,'all of its parts being integral; but, if preferred, it may be made from wrought-iron, steel, or any other suitable material. The posts may also be made of iron, if desired, and tapped to receive the screws, which are in that case threaded accordingly.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is A fastener for the wires of wire fences, the body of which is provided at one end with an angular head and at the other with a screw or threaded portion, said head being divided by a transverse slot, which is extended into said body below the head for the reception of the Wire, substantially as shown and described.

BENJAMIN SCARLES.

Witnesses:

GEORGE A. GIBEs, EDWARD G. SrEvENs. 

